The present invention relates to a new and improved construction of transport installation and method of transporting can bodies for a fully automated resistance welding machine, which is of the type comprising a roll former station for rolling the blanks into bodies, two successively arranged driven transport systems, and a pair of electrode welding rolls or rollers.
In German Patent Publication No. 2,103,551 there is taught to the art a transport installation for can bodies wherein rolled blanks, formed into can bodies, are moved out of a roll former station by means of a continuously driven transport chain equipped with fixed catches or cams up to the region of the electrode rolls and at that location are entrained by a pawl feed and through the remaining quite short path are brought up to the welding speed and then introduced into the welding station.
Such equipment is extremely suitable for the transport of up to 300 can bodies per minute. However, at greater production capacity there arise difficulties, because at the higher chain velocity there is not sufficient time available for the rolling of the blanks between two successive catches or cams.